Updating the Mumsnet brandmark

We asked a designer to look at the Mumsnet brandmark so we could set some consistent rules about its use and deployment.

He looked in turn at three main elements - logo, wordmark and colour.

His view was that the old brandmark "was quite heavy, had complex curves, indistinct shapes and the shape lost definition at smaller sizes".

Existing brandmark

Initial thoughts:

To make the logo more dynamic and functional, he suggested:

Losing some of the 'weight' in the logo.

There is a lot of bulk in the logo that adds nothing to the overall effect. This comes from the interaction between the heavy 'Mumsnet' and the bulky shape directly above it. The logo feels heavy. We can make the logo feel more modern by addressing this.

Making the logo more dynamic.

The main mass at the centre of the logo has no definition; it feels very static. We can make the logo feel fresher and more dynamic by adding space and useful detail in the centre of the logo.

Simplifying the logo.

Some of the lines that define the shape feel slack. It is not obvious what some of the shapes represent. We can clean up the lines and remove confusing detail to make the logo more understandable and functional.

Reshaping the logo.

Introduce more noticeable changes to create a more modern logo.

The Progression of these explorations removes more weight from the main shape, adds more dynamism through adding space in the main shape, and simplifies the lines.

Typography

The existing Mumsnet logo has type written in both a bold typeface, Meta, for main wordmark and tagline.

Meta is a clean, sans serif typeface with a friendly character and bit of movement.

The existing expression feels very heavy, with no change in pace between the main word mark and tagline.

Mumsnet is written all in lower case, this creates an informality. The tagline is written in sentence case, with a capital B. The tagline apparently hangs outside the Mumsnet text.

Making minimal changes to the use of letter and line spacing, as well as the use of different weights, creates space and a lighter feel.

Colour

The exact composition of the blue used in the Brand Mark will affect the impression created.

The shades of blue selected here have a relatively large amount of red in the, giving a deeper and richer feel:

These shades of blue have a relatively low amount of red, giving a lighter and fresher feel: